"I am afraid so," said Edward Ambrose gravely. "And we have come to a very wise man to set it right for us. It oughtn't to be beyond your powers, ought it, having regard to the acknowledged character of the lady?" "I fear," said Mr. Mortimer, "the character of the lady is too much acknowledged if the question of a divorce is running in your mind." "Well, of course it is," said Edward Ambrose, with an air of deep disappointment as he looked at Henry Harper. "I'll have a divorce if I can possibly get one," said the young man. "And I don't care what trouble I take or what it costs." Mr. Mortimer continued to draw very spirited pictures on his blotting pad. "Don't you advise it?" asked Edward Ambrose. "Yes, I do, if we can get one. But in the special circumstances, it is going to prove uncommonly difficult, in fact, one might say impossible." "You don't mean that, sir," said Henry Harper. "It is only my opinion." Mr. Mortimer spoke as if there could be no other. "But let me be quite candid, as I am sure you want me to be. I am perfectly certain you will never get a British jury to believe the first part of your story." "But you believe it?" said Henry Harper, with wild eyes. "I most certainly believe it, I believe every word you tell me. But we have to deal with a British jury, and in any question affecting what it calls 'morality,' a British jury is a very difficult proposition. At least, that's my experience." Both Henry Harper and his friend were so dismayed by the force of Mr. Mortimer's conviction, that at first they did not say anything. Soon, however, Edward Ambrose, who was looking particularly unhappy, remarked: "Then you don't advise him to fight it?" "I don't. I am sorry to say I don't. There is not a dog's chance without very strong direction from the Bench, and there is little hope of that in a case of this kind. His Majesty's judges are quite as bad as a British jury when they are out on the 'morality' racket." "The good bourgeois, in fact, without a spark of imagination?" "Quite so. Of course, we might try, but really one doesn't advise it. There would be unwarrantable expense, and even if we were lucky enough to get a verdict, it would still be a very serious matter for a young and rising man. At least, that's my view." "I don't doubt you are right," said Edward Ambrose, with a groan of sheer vexation. "You mean, sir, I can't get free of her?" said the Sailor. "Only with great difficulty, I am afraid. And in any event, the issue is uncertain. As I understand, you are in a position to prove very little. Conjecture will not satisfy a jury, and even that must be based on a set of circumstances that will not help your case." "Well, what do you advise?" asked Edward Ambrose. "I should be inclined to let matters take their course for the present. As she appears to be drinking heavily, it is not unreasonable to hope that in time things may adjust themselves automatically."